Hello my darling lovelies,
I thought that this post was fairly timely to do, as I have emerged again from the cocoon of my own mind and am taking an interest in things around me once more. I've had a bit of a rough time recently, but fingers crossed the worst is over and things will be looking up.
However, I know that life won't always be going up for me, and I know I will crash down again - it's what happens when you deal with depression. So, what I thought I'd do is put together a little post on self-care and things that I find help me when I'm struggling. And, before you starting clicking the exit button, I'm not going to be telling you to 'get some sleep', 'go to the gym' or 'eat healthily'. Those tips are bogus, or at least, that's what I think. When I feel like crap, I don't want to be told to 'make myself a nice salad' or 'shake up my routine by surprising my spouse at the office'. Because I fail to see how eating a salad will make me not depressed and because I, along with a lot of people, don't have a spouse. I'm not joking, those were tips I found while doing some research.
I think it's incredibly important that everyone has their own methods and ways to take care of themselves, because, as my mum once said 'you have take care of yourself, because no one will'. While that sounds a little harsh on paper, what she meant was that, while other people care about you and will want to help, ultimately, it's on yourself to do that.
But, as I said, everyone has their own methods of taking care of themselves and the things I've suggested are ones that I found useful and maybe you will to. If you could, I would love for you guys to add the things you do to take care of yourself in the comments, and then we could have a big group of real life, actually applicable tips for people to go through, if they need some help/ideas.
So, in no particular order, here are somethings I've done.
1. Take a long, long shower and get really clean.
I always wash my hair, shave, cleanse (properly) and apply a face mask. Even if I don't really a shower or anything, something about the methodical way everything is carried out is soothing - especially because it's so thoughtless. You don't have to think about what you're doing, you've done it so often it's just second nature by now.
2. Lie on my bed and listen to music.
When I do this, I borrow Midgets giant headphones, which block out all the sound but my music. It doesn't generally make me feel better, per say, but at least it allows me to escape for a couple of hours and let myself feel what I'm feeling. Which leads me on to number 3.
3. Have a really good cry.
When I feel like shit, sometimes all I want to do is for someone to acknowledge that I feel like shit and to say, 'you know, it's okay to feel that way, you don't have to hide it'. Of course, that person is generally me and that's when I just bawl. I cry for all the bad things I'm feeling, for all the good things I could be feeling if I wasn't feeling so awful, for all the people that have wronged me and all the people I've wronged. I cry for being a terrible person and then cry harder for thinking that I'm a terrible person. I cry and let all the conflicting emotions show for once. For once, I don't hide what I'm feeling.
4. Talk to yourself and comfort yourself.
Now I know that sounds truly crazy, but for me, sometimes it works. Often, things that I'm feeling bad about have logical explanation/reason/thing (ie. that thing that the person did/said was way out of line and it was unreasonable of them to expect 'x' and so I shouldn't beat myself up about it) but when you are involved, it's hard to see that. In these instances, I find it useful to just separate myself and look at the situation as if it involved a friend and not myself. Then I can tell myself (as an outsider) the things that I can't see/believe as someone that's involved. Does that make sense? Or am I just crazy? (Probably the latter). :)
5. Call a friend
This is the more sensible version of number 4, but also, for me, the more terrifying version. I will generally only ever reach out to people if I truly feel awful and start getting worried about my safety and sanity. Which is stupid because of course I wouldn't mind any of my friends calling me if they were feeling a little flat, but I can't do the same myself. But calling a friend is just nice because it gets you out of your own head for a while, or lets you vent the workings of your mind to another.
6. Eat Something
I can't count the times my mood has been lifted, even a little bit, by eating some food. Food gives you energy and it tastes delicious! Now, when I'm feeling really terrible, I try my hardest not to skip meals, because I know it'll only make me feel worse in the long run.
7. Watch some TV
I like to do this because it literally requires no energy. You turn on the TV and watch it. I generally set myself up with a TV show that I own so then I can watch multiple episodes with little effort. For me, this works better than the 'Do something that makes you happy' because that requires energy and when I get really down, I literally can't be bothered doing anything! Then again...
8. Do something that makes you happy
It does work, sometimes. For me, that thing is usually painting my nails. It soothes me, because it is something that I know how to do. It's familiar and yet, different, because each design is a little different. I write more on this subject here. But, like all good things, it requires effort. And that is sometimes beyond me, but that's okay.
And.... I'm all out. I was going to make it an even ten, but got to eight and realised I didn't have anything left. I guess I need to expand a little bit... Anyway, it's up to you guys now - what do you do when you're feeling down?
I thought that this post was fairly timely to do, as I have emerged again from the cocoon of my own mind and am taking an interest in things around me once more. I've had a bit of a rough time recently, but fingers crossed the worst is over and things will be looking up.
However, I know that life won't always be going up for me, and I know I will crash down again - it's what happens when you deal with depression. So, what I thought I'd do is put together a little post on self-care and things that I find help me when I'm struggling. And, before you starting clicking the exit button, I'm not going to be telling you to 'get some sleep', 'go to the gym' or 'eat healthily'. Those tips are bogus, or at least, that's what I think. When I feel like crap, I don't want to be told to 'make myself a nice salad' or 'shake up my routine by surprising my spouse at the office'. Because I fail to see how eating a salad will make me not depressed and because I, along with a lot of people, don't have a spouse. I'm not joking, those were tips I found while doing some research.
I think it's incredibly important that everyone has their own methods and ways to take care of themselves, because, as my mum once said 'you have take care of yourself, because no one will'. While that sounds a little harsh on paper, what she meant was that, while other people care about you and will want to help, ultimately, it's on yourself to do that.
But, as I said, everyone has their own methods of taking care of themselves and the things I've suggested are ones that I found useful and maybe you will to. If you could, I would love for you guys to add the things you do to take care of yourself in the comments, and then we could have a big group of real life, actually applicable tips for people to go through, if they need some help/ideas.
So, in no particular order, here are somethings I've done.
 |
| Source here |
I always wash my hair, shave, cleanse (properly) and apply a face mask. Even if I don't really a shower or anything, something about the methodical way everything is carried out is soothing - especially because it's so thoughtless. You don't have to think about what you're doing, you've done it so often it's just second nature by now.
2. Lie on my bed and listen to music.
When I do this, I borrow Midgets giant headphones, which block out all the sound but my music. It doesn't generally make me feel better, per say, but at least it allows me to escape for a couple of hours and let myself feel what I'm feeling. Which leads me on to number 3.
3. Have a really good cry.
When I feel like shit, sometimes all I want to do is for someone to acknowledge that I feel like shit and to say, 'you know, it's okay to feel that way, you don't have to hide it'. Of course, that person is generally me and that's when I just bawl. I cry for all the bad things I'm feeling, for all the good things I could be feeling if I wasn't feeling so awful, for all the people that have wronged me and all the people I've wronged. I cry for being a terrible person and then cry harder for thinking that I'm a terrible person. I cry and let all the conflicting emotions show for once. For once, I don't hide what I'm feeling.
4. Talk to yourself and comfort yourself.
Now I know that sounds truly crazy, but for me, sometimes it works. Often, things that I'm feeling bad about have logical explanation/reason/thing (ie. that thing that the person did/said was way out of line and it was unreasonable of them to expect 'x' and so I shouldn't beat myself up about it) but when you are involved, it's hard to see that. In these instances, I find it useful to just separate myself and look at the situation as if it involved a friend and not myself. Then I can tell myself (as an outsider) the things that I can't see/believe as someone that's involved. Does that make sense? Or am I just crazy? (Probably the latter). :)
 |
| Source here |
5. Call a friend
This is the more sensible version of number 4, but also, for me, the more terrifying version. I will generally only ever reach out to people if I truly feel awful and start getting worried about my safety and sanity. Which is stupid because of course I wouldn't mind any of my friends calling me if they were feeling a little flat, but I can't do the same myself. But calling a friend is just nice because it gets you out of your own head for a while, or lets you vent the workings of your mind to another.
6. Eat Something
I can't count the times my mood has been lifted, even a little bit, by eating some food. Food gives you energy and it tastes delicious! Now, when I'm feeling really terrible, I try my hardest not to skip meals, because I know it'll only make me feel worse in the long run.
 |
| Source here |
7. Watch some TV
I like to do this because it literally requires no energy. You turn on the TV and watch it. I generally set myself up with a TV show that I own so then I can watch multiple episodes with little effort. For me, this works better than the 'Do something that makes you happy' because that requires energy and when I get really down, I literally can't be bothered doing anything! Then again...
8. Do something that makes you happy
It does work, sometimes. For me, that thing is usually painting my nails. It soothes me, because it is something that I know how to do. It's familiar and yet, different, because each design is a little different. I write more on this subject here. But, like all good things, it requires effort. And that is sometimes beyond me, but that's okay.
And.... I'm all out. I was going to make it an even ten, but got to eight and realised I didn't have anything left. I guess I need to expand a little bit... Anyway, it's up to you guys now - what do you do when you're feeling down?
No comments :
Post a Comment
Getting, reading and replying to your comments make my day, so please go and and tell me your thoughts.